I'm running into some MS-8 desperation, and thought I would post here the same thing I posted over at diyma.

First of all, thanks to kaigoss for all his help (and patience) during the last few months. If it wasn't for him, I would have given up a long time ago.

Some months ago I installed a JBL MS8, tried almost every possible configuration/trick, and I feel I've reached a dead end. The sound is extremely bright and in your face, and it actually sounds better with processing defeated. Imaging is fine, though.

Everything has been level matched prior to calibration, and I've tried different voltages. Speakers are all in phase. I've also tried reversing phased on the underseats and on the sub, and found that what worked better was sub in phase, underseats with reversed phase.

I've tried both of kai's mods, different filters, different setups (subwoofer in the backseat, with and without a center, etc.), increase gains on the underseats/sub after calibration, even decreasing gains on the fronts/mids, and no matter what I do my sound is always worse with processing active. So bad in fact that I can't listen to it for more than half an hour without hurting my ears.

I am adding a link to a Dropbox folder with some RTAs which I have compiled throughout all this testing (I'm having trouble uploading them, if the folder is empty please give it some time, there should be 10 pictures in total). One for each speaker individually (pink noise from MS8 hidden menu, didn't do right side speakers), two to compare the processing active/defeat post-calibration, and two more to compare the processing active/defeat post-calibration without the center and the sub (to check if the MS8 was running out of headroom).

Bump. The way I see it, the processor is not making any corrections north of 600hz. I will upload my before/after RTA when I am back home and have access to my ipad. Bit from memory there were quite a few corrections on virtually every frequency band.

As far as I recall, when leaving the processing active and turning off L7 the image stays in the front but less centered. The main difference is that the sound is more surrounding (more output from the rear speakers), and bass/midbass is less precise.

However, I wouldn't put my money on this one, I need to listen more closely. I'll give it a try asap and let you know.

As far as I recall, when leaving the processing active and turning off L7 the image stays in the front but less centered. The main difference is that the sound is more surrounding (more output from the rear speakers), and bass/midbass is less precise.

However, I wouldn't put my money on this one, I need to listen more closely. I'll give it a try asap and let you know.

Ok. Report back. FWIW i have as good or better centered image with L7 off just due to time alignment. When ive had issues with the headphones it turns into this mushy "all around" sound. You may have bad headphones or bad connection.

Listen to a vocal track (one that doesnt use effects like 'chorus' or stereo reverb and it should soubd like the singer is a bobble head doll sitting dead smack center on your dash.

By the way, I should have mentioned this to Kai last week when I was doing the testing, but I noticed that my headphones aren't entirely straight. Meaning that the left earpad is parallel to my ear/head, whereas the right now has a slight outward angle.

It's very slight so I always assumed that it was a design issue, but now that you mention defective headphones I was thinking that maybe they came damaged. In which case I assume it would be a pain to get another pair.

I've tested with L7 off, and the image is centered. Not as centered as with L7 on, since sometimes it does feel like it's coming from the left side, but even if it's harder to pin point it's centered overall.

How does it sound? Well, wiring the center differently did make a change. However, the change in the xovers doesn't allow me to do the kaigoss mod anymore, so midbass is clearly lacking again, and the mids still are too present.

Sorry, I missed your post somehow. I was going to post an update here some time ago, but didn't want to bump the thread with only bad news.

You are going to laugh (I know I did, nervously), but the warranty company told me a couple of weeks ago that the replacement PCB that Harman/JBL sent them was also defective

So now they are still waiting for Harman/JBL to send them a second replacement PCB, and hopefully fix the MS8 and send it back to me on time for... f*****g Christmas?

I've been driving for over a month without sound now.

I'm crossing my fingers that the unit they send me is flawless (I asked them to check and double-check before they do), and that it stays that way for a very long time, as I don't think I'll have the patience to go through this again.

EDIT: just received this e-mail from them: "We are currently waiting for spares from Harman. This is beyond our control as soon as the parts arrive the unit will be repaired and returned."

Installed it, and... the screen now randomly stops working. Or maybe it's the remote control, not sure which. What I know is that sometimes the screen blocks, so I have to reset the MS8. And sometimes the buttons on the remote get mixed (the arrow down works as the "OK" button, the arrow up works as the arrow down, etc.)

Seems that you have an LF peak of 20dB with processing defeat. I would try and flatten that as it is beyond the range for which ms-8 can compensate and probably using up most of MS-8s corrective horsepower.